Let The Flames Begin
by AnyaZeAwesomeGlaceon
Summary: [REWRITTEN] Alfred had experienced a lot of despair as a kid. The balance between hope and despair is balance when he meets Arthur. Too bad poor Alfred didn't listen and had to tip the scale. Cardverse. Onesided!USUK(?). Yandere!Alfred. DARK THEMES. Inspired by Daughter of White and The Last Rose.
1. 1 - Young, Innocent Alfred

**Inspired by Daughter of White and The Lost Rose (USUK doujinshi)**

**Warning: Errors (mostly spelling) cause it's hard to type a story and posting it here using only a phone and this was not beta-ed(?)****. Also vauge character death, if you can't handle death and mentioned suffering I strongly advise you to leave. Other than** ** that enjoy. **

**I don't own Hetalia. AT ALL.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Young, Innocent Alfred <strong>

"Come on, Mattie! Hurry up!" A little boy with sunny blond hair and bright blue eyes ran, urging his twin forwards.

"But Al! I'm exhausted! Let's take a break!" The boy's twin complained. He had light blond hair, and clear violet eyes, those being the only difference from his twin.

"No way! There's a little bird that needs to be saved! Since I'm the hero, I have to save it!" Alfred yelled out loud.

"I'm sure the bird is fine!" Matthew protested. It wouldn't be the first time the energetic boy dragged his twin to help an animal that didn't need help in the fist place.

When they did arrive where Alfred wanted them to go, the bird had already flew away, not that it mattered, for Alfred was searching for a new animal to help, Matthew helping him in hopes of wearing down his energetic twin.  
>That was when Alfred was a young boy, innocent to the world if not a bit naive.<p>

~.~

It was a fairly normal afternoon in Spades. The birds was singing, the sun was shining, the wind blowing gentle. Alfred was playing in the back yard to their small house. It was a miracle for his family to even have a house in the first place for Spades was always quite eager to get in a war and thus resources were hard to come by. Civil wars was so common that Spades ended up being a loose unity of several city-states with rulers of each one owning loyalty to the king of Spades or else their freedom would be seriously reduced.  
>Alfred then decided it would be a great idea to wonder into the forest like he always did, even though Matthew never wanted to go with him and stayed inside. Alfred simply figured that his twin was simply too afraid to wander in the forest.<p>

"Hey kid," A voice floated down from the treetops.

The sunny blond paused upon hearing the voice and looked around. Seeing nothing, He began to get nervous. 'I'm probably imaging things after all usually no one goes to the forest it's not like there is any ghost here or anything hehehehehehehe...'

"Hey kid! Up here!"

Jolted out of his thoughts the young boy looked up from where he heard the louder voice come from. Sitting in a tree was an albino he was 100% certain wasn't there before. The mysterious albino jumped off the tree and landed in front of the young boy.

"Are... Are you a g-ghost?" The boy asked with a hint of fear. The albino laughed in response

"Nein. I am the legendary awesome Joker Gilbert!"

"The Joker? No way he's just a myth."

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"I am right here in my full awesomest glory you know!"

"How do I know you are not lying?"

"Why would I lie?"

Alfred shrugged, "Cause anyone can lie about being a Joker. In fact, I am the other Joker! See?"

Gilbert rolled his eyes, "No you are not, kid. The only thing that you have that Peter also has is the blue eyes. That's it."

"You still need to prove that you are the Joker."

Gilbert smirked, "Alright fine."

The albino picked up a leaf, then twirled it, each twirl made the leaf bigger and bigger until the threw it on the floor, transforming it into an eagle, flying away.

"Wow! That's so cool! You are the Joker!"

Gilbert nodded, satisfied, "I knew the awesome me can convince you. Anyways that's not why I came here. Alfred do you want to become the King of Spades?"

"The King of Spades? Are you serious? Of course I want to be the king!" Alfred yelled, jumping up and down excitedly.

Gilbert laughed, "Of course you do. After all, don't all kids dream big? Anyways, why don't we play a game?"

"A game? Sure!" After all, it wasn't everyday people got to play with Jokers.

Thus the two decided to play hide n' seek for the rest of the day. Gilbert won all the games, resulting in a pouting Alfred, upset that he had lost all the games. Gilbert decided to leave when the sun was just beginning to set, encouraging Alfred to head home, which the young boy agreed to.

When the boy arrived at his house, he stopped dead in his tracks. In front of him was his house, burnt down to the ground, reduced to nothing but ashes. No one- not Matthew, not Alfred's mom or dad was around. They were all indoors. Alfred was stood there, shocked until some people was at the scene, gently pulling the boy by the arm. It wasn't until some lady asked him what happened for the first time that Alfred burst out crying, shaking violently.

This was when Alfred was eight.

~.~

Up until the age of thirteen, Alfred lived at an orphanage. The kids there ignored Alfred at first, but then turned harsh, for they found his bubbly personality and hero complex to be annoying. The caretakers there was stern and strict. Any rule that was broken was severely punished. Sometimes Alfred was even punished for being his usual self when the caretakers didn't want to deal with him. Slowly over the five years he was there, he became more colder and distant from everyone and he stopped acting the way he used to.

When he was thirteen, the orphanage received news that the King was coming to adopt a son for the Queen was unable to conceive a heir. This confused everyone for monarchs don't adopt, but rumors went around that one of the Jokers appeared in front of the King and ordered the King to adopt a boy from the orphanage. Alfred was suddenly reminded of the day his entire family died, when Gilbert asked if he wanted to be king. Was this what he meant? Alfred shrugged then began to scrub the wall, for that was his job today. After a while- for Alfred never kept track of time because there was no need to do so- someone roughly grabbed his arm and dragged him to some other room. The woman that dragged Alfred was the old swine that Alfred hated with a burning passion, for she was the strictest caretaker Spades could offer. Alfred's ass still hurt from when she gave him a beating for dozing off in class three days prior. The sunny blond looked around and saw that he was in the main entrance, the one place the kids were forbidden from entering.

"Get out. Your leaving." She spoke at last.

"Wait why?" Alfred asked, feeling fear bubble up. Other than this hell hole, he had nowhere else to go. The streets was his other option.

The ancient woman rolled her baggy eyes, "Congratulations. You have been adopted by King of Spades. Now leave," she spat.

Alfred rolled his eyes in response. "I'll miss you least of all swine," he muttered under his breath and swiftly walked out, relishing in the long forgotten sun.

At the entrance of the orphanage a grand carriage stood waiting. In front of it was a man in his late twenties with wild black hair and plain brown eyes. He wore the clothes of the Jack.

Alfred bowed, "Pleasure to see you, Jack."

The Jack nodded, "You must be Alfred F. Jones correct."

"Yes sir that is correct."

"Come here then."

Alfred nodded, then stepped in the carriage after the Jack. The carriage then began off to take Alfred to his new life as the heir to the Spade king's throne.

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><p><strong>AN: The rewitten prologue/first chapter to my first story Let the Flames Begin. I decided to rewrite it because I didn't really like how the original turned out. Like the new one? Hate it? Thought of something to improve it? Let me know. **


	2. 2 - New Changes

**Hetalia does not belong to me. No matter what the voices says, I do not own Hetalia.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: New Changes<strong>

"So, how's life now?" Alfred heard a voice dripping in arrogance speak behind him.

"Oh would you look at that, it's the Joker. Hadn't seen you in like, what ten years?"

"Are you still mad kid?" the albino sighed, "I swear, humans focus more on despair than on mania. You should be thanking me." Gilbert swept his hand around the room, "After all you are here aren't you? In a position many would kill to be in. Or are you just a selfish brat?"

Alfred spun around to face Gilbert, "Oh I'm so sorry that I am still upset that my family died in a house fire, then I was sent to live in a harsh orphanage for... five years. And even then, I have to constantly study to make up for the years I've missed!" Alfred responded sarcastically.

Gilbert rolled his eyes, "Look at the bright side. You now have access to the most wealth than anyone in this country, you use only the best this country has to offer and you're complaining?! You kid, are a selfish brat."

It was Alfred's turn to roll his eyes, "I never once complained about my life here. I'm only complaining about how I got here."

Gilbert placed a hand on Alfred's shoulder, "Kid, let me explain something," Gilbert sat on Alfred's drawer then spread out both of his arms to form a straight line, "Despair and mania are constantly balanced. There is nothing we can do to make one end of the scale tip. That is why we have good times and bad times. You suffered and in exchange you can now live a luxurious life here in the castle. Since I'm so awesome, I'm going to tell you something. I sense that something really good is going to happen to you later, BUT take care to preserve your happiness and don't do anything rash or stupid to sent yourself in despair. Got it? Don't screw up." Gilbert then disappeared.

Alfred stood there, dumbstruck, as the Joker's words settled in. He then shrugged, continuing to read about the history of Spades after the Joker disappeared.

~.~

"Alfred-san! Alfred-san!" A voice called.

Alfred turned around, but got knocked down by his trainer, the current Ace. "Never get distracted, else the enemy got easily gain the upper hand." Alfred nodded, then got up, walking towards a young man with short black hair and dull brown eyes that looked almost gray. "Yes, Kiku?" the sunny blond asked.

"The King would like to see you."

Alfred nodded again, then turned to the Ace. The Ace nodded, letting the sunny blond go with the brunet. When the two walked towards the throne room, Alfred knew it was serious. A guard opened the door for the two, allowing them to enter the room to find the King and Queen sitting on their thrones. In front of them stood a beautiful young lady with long platinum blonde hair and icy blue-violet eyes.

"Alfred," the King spoke, "This is Natalia. She came all the way here from Clubs to be you're future Queen. Would you please show her around?"

"Yes sire," Alfred quickly bowed and left the room, Natalia and Kiku following behind him.

During the tour, no one spoke other than giving information about the different rooms. Alfred figured it was because Natalia felt foreign, while both Kiku and Alfred doesn't talk much. He had to feel bad about the lady.

"So Natalia, why did you come here?" Alfred asked awkwardly, trying to start a conversation.

"To escape an unwanted marriage with some lord. I think this is better, even if it means seeing my brother from time to time."

"So your brother. What's he like?"

"My big brother is wonderful. We all had a rough childhood, but he somehow stayed innocent and childish. He's just really misunderstood," Natalia shrugged, "It's their loss anyways."

Alfred nodded, "Who is your brother anyways?" He didn't miss how Natalia's eyes sparkled when talking about her brother.

"Ivan Braginsky."

"Are you serious?!" Was she serious? How can that creepy man be the older brother to Natalia?

Natalia gave the sunny blond a deadpan look, "Yes. He is my wonderful big brother. Problem?"

"Actually I do-," Alfred began, but was stopped when the platinum blond gave him an intimidating glare. Now he could see how they were related. "Not. I have no problem with your big brother," Alfred finished.

Natalia nodded, satisfied with his change of heart. They continued on with the tour.

~.~

Once Alfred turned twenty-one, it had been four years since Natalia had lived in the castle. Honestly, that woman, now aged twenty, scared the shit out of Alfred. She was clingy in a stalker-ish way and constantly followed the sunny blond around. On a few occasions, she even asked Alfred to marry her! Alfred, of course, thought she was beautiful, but her personality was to much to handle. He often spent most of his free time thinking of ways to ditch the platinum blonde.

While hiding from Natalia, Kiku approached him from behind. Kiku was Alfred's closest friend despite him pushing other people away, and the brunet being reserved. The future Jack tapped the sunny blond from behind and he turned, panic in his eyes, before he relaxed.

"Oh. It's just you, Kiku. I thought you were Natalia."

"That woman is obsessed with you huh?"

"Yeah. I don't even know why."

Kiku shrugged, "Live with someone for a few years and you end up being fond of them, or loathing them. Apparently Natalia had grown rather fond of you. Anyways, the King would like to see you."

"His dying request?" Alfred asked.

Kiku nodded, then turned away, knowing Alfred would follow.

When the two reached the King's room, Kiku left to allow Alfred's final moments with his adoptive father in peace. The old King was lying on his bed, weak with the illness he had caught a few years earlier. It had slowly chipped away his health until he couldn't even lift a finger on his own. He was slowly dying and everyone know he did not have long to live.

"Alfred, once I'm gone, you'll be crowned king," The dying king wheezed out.

Alfred could only nod.

"Now I must warn you, we are close to war with Diamonds," he was interrupted with a vicious cough, "I strongly recommend you to avoid war with them at all cost. Sure we are stronger, but they have more wealth, meaning they will last longer and ultimately defeat us," he took a deep breath and struggled to continue, "Avoid war with them. You are dismissed."

Alfred, saying nothing, simply nodded, bowed, then left. At this rate, the king will die soon and Alfred will inherit the thrown legally.

It was two weeks later that the king's last breath was released, and Alfred's crowning ceremony will take place a week after.

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><p><strong>AN: **

**OTL**

**I'm sorry. I could have finished this chapter and posted it sooner, but I ****just couldn't. To tell the truth, I lost interest in this fic and my others cause ya know, personal issues and such, but now I'm back! I'm also sorry for the lack of action but we gots the introduction of Natalia and the death of the king so yayz for that! Also, I hope you don't mind the mention of AmeBel (eww shipping girls with boys xD) but she's the only person I ship Alfred with (other than Arthur, of course). I imagine her as being the type to be clingy and stalker-ish towards anyone she is fond to, not only Ivan (So don't be surprised if this happens in another fic of mine later :3). It's not a big ship, don't worry. Anyhow see you all later~ Anya out! **


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